


Tumultuous

by cravethatcinnaroll



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Introspection, M/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-23
Updated: 2016-08-23
Packaged: 2018-08-10 13:39:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7847218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cravethatcinnaroll/pseuds/cravethatcinnaroll
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lance was like the ocean. Although it was choppy and rough at times, its refreshing vitality could soothe and cleanse the hearts of many.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tumultuous

**Author's Note:**

> this is a companion piece to Tempestuous, which was written in lances pov

tu·mul·tu·ous   
t(y)o͞oˈməlCHo͞oəs   
_ adjective _

meaning: raising a great clatter and commotion; disorderly or noisy

After months of solitude, it was no wonder that Keith had gotten used to the dry desert heat. So of course it was only natural for him to respond with contempt to the overwhelming tsunami that was Lance’s personality. The boy's detestable disposition had engulfed Keith with all the unbridled hostility of a tropical monsoon; wave after confrontational wave threatening to drag him into darkness. 

Dealing with loud, abrasive people had never been Keith’s strong suit. From his combative, pushy nature to his state of perpetual peacocking, everything about Lance was simply and utterly exasperating. Keith was a man who valued peace and quiet, and unlike his dusty old shack, the Castle of Lions possessed nothing of the sort. Living alone had been one thing; but lodging with six other people--scratch that, four humans, two Alteans, and some space mice--felt foreign and suffocating.

Sure, Keith had always been alone. But with that isolation came independence; a much-needed escape from the harsh expectations of society. And now, thanks to some magical alien destiny, the closest thing he'd ever had to a home was lightyears and lightyears away from the Earth. 

Despite his disappointment, Keith tried to make the most of his newfound position as Paladin. He began devoting all his time to training, much to his teammates’ chagrin. His veins pumping with adrenaline, Keith willingly immersed himself in the fiery sensations of battle, one of the few forms of pressure his free spirit could withstand. It was not until the real fighting began that Keith realized that he couldn't defend the universe by himself. He was but a single piece of a vastly bigger picture, one that just so happened to form a giant robot.  _ We'll work hard and be stronger together, _ he resolved.  _ It's the only way. _

However, Keith soon found that he was sorely unprepared to face the torrential tide known as Lance. All those pointless challenges, in addition to the onslaught of insults that spewed from his annoyingly big mouth, were almost too much to handle. Plus, Lance only acted this way towards him, though he’d admittedly done nothing to provoke such blatant disdain.

It became increasingly hard for Keith to open up, to confront Lance in all his confusion. Although the brown-haired boy seemed like an open book, expressing his every emotion with ease, there  _ had _ to be a reason for his unexplained hatred, and Keith would stop at nothing to find out. Something within him desperately wanted to fix things, to patch the rift between them.  _ It's all for the good of the team,  _ he reasoned. 

For the first time, Keith dared to approach his fellow Paladin not out of frustration, but with the desire to finally  _ understand.  _ Lance was strangely taken aback by his obvious concern, and for once in his life, grew silent. Then suddenly, as though an emotional dam had burst, all of Lance’s feelings came flooding out. “I don't actually hate you,” he'd cried in anguish. “It's just...you've always been the standard I can never measure up to.”

The painfully heartfelt confession struck him like a blow to the face. Keith knew all about the toxicity of impossible ideals, a sharp pang of empathy swelling in his chest. Wrought with worry for his partner, he impulsively reached out for a hug, holding the boy in his awkward embrace. Keith spent the next few hours pointing out all the good qualities that Lance had grown blind to, rubbing his back until they both fell asleep.

 

Ever since he’d discovered the truth, Keith had no longer participated in Lance’s petty competitions out of spite. Instead, he chose to play along because, somewhere along the way, Keith had come to treasure the boy's smug, snarky expressions, his bottomless blue eyes sparkling like seawater on a sunny day. It was times like these that made Keith realize just how deeply he admired the brilliant ocean that was Lance’s personality.

 

**Author's Note:**

> why am i only inspired at 3am  
> thanks for reading, feedback is greatly appreciated  
> tumblr: @cravethatcinnaroll


End file.
